Hollie Doyle's exclusive blog: Lambourn can make it an 11th Chester Vase for Aidan O'Brien
Our ambassador previews her rides and analyses the features on the opening day of the Boodles May Festival at Chester on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports Racing.
Tuesday 6 May 2025 18:00, UK
Flat action returns to the Roodee for the Chester May Festival on Wednesday and our racing ambassador Hollie Doyle has previewed the action with the Chester Vase and Cheshire Oaks headlining a competitive card.
Good Friday repeat will put Cyclonite in the mix
Cyclonite ran a really nice race for me on Finals Day at Newcastle on Good Friday and re-appears in the Love Federal Capital Handicap at Chester on day one of the Boodles May Festival on Wednesday, live on Sky Sports Racing.
James Ferguson's likeable three-year-old enjoyed being ridden positively and was beaten little more than a length in third in the three-year-old Final.
This Bucchero gelding - a winner on a turning track on the All-Weather - has been granted a fair draw in stall six, so if I can get him to bounce out and hold a good position into the bends, he'll have a serious chance.
- Desert Flower swoops for 1000 Guineas glory
- Ruling Court grabs 2000 Guineas glory for Buick and Appleby
Lincoln Trial run gives Lane every Chance
A short-head second for me in the Lincoln Trial Handicap around Wolverhampton three starts ago gives me hope that Farasi Lane can make an impression in the Horseradish Catering & Events Handicap at Chester.
Dr Richard Newland and Jamie Insole's seven-year-old couldn't build on that performance on softish ground at Doncaster or in the Mile Vase at Lingfield Park on Good Friday, but I think he'll enjoy Chester and what looks like being decent ground.
He's back on the same mark he ran off around the bends at Dunstall Park and his trainers have their team in good form, so we'll approach the race positively from our favourable low draw.
Eleventh Vase win on the cards for O'Brien
Aidan O'Brien has won the Group 3 Boodles Chester Vase Stakes a record 10 times and I can't see past his main contender in the feature race on day one on the Roodee.
Lambourn got his Listed win in France at the end of August and has the advantage of a run under his girth, finishing second to well-regarded stablemate Delacroix in the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes at the Curragh in March.
That run could be the defining factor though Ralph Beckett's Zarak gelding Square D'Alboni looks a live threat for Hector Crouch. He's also a Listed winner, achieving his black type in heavy ground at Chantilly in the autumn, so must prove himself in quicker conditions on this return from his winter break.
Thieves can steal Cheshire Oaks
Although she doesn't bring the strongest form to the race, I quite like John and Thady Gosden's Queen Of Thieves in the Weatherbys ePassport Cheshire Oaks.
A maiden winner at Yarmouth, this daughter of Frankel seems to be rapidly improving, is race fit and has more experience than her better fancied rivals.
Ralph Beckett's Oaks entry That's Amore won nicely at Newbury on her racecourse debut back in October, powering clear of her rivals, and could be anything at this stage so has my complete respect.
Track a negative for Guineas hope
It was a disappointing run on the face of it by Duty First in the Betfred 1000 Guineas at Newmarket on Sunday but she simply didn't handle the track as well as we hoped.
Archie Watson's daughter of Showcasing, who had won the Fred Darling at Newbury on her re-appearance, jumped nicely and we got a nice position on the girth of the leader.
However, she just couldn't sustain her run once Will Buick upped the tempo on eventual winner Desert Flower and became very unbalanced on the undulations. Once she took a false step a furlong and a half out, I accepted our fate and looked after her.
Duty First seems to have come out of the race OK, so I'm sure she'll be back to prove herself a top-class filly on flatter tracks as the season progresses.
Hollie Doyle was speaking to Sky Sports Racing's Simon Mapletoft.
